HCL Z Data Tools and APIs Overview

Copyright © 2019 HCL Technologies Limited | www.hcltech.com2

CONTENT

Challenges/Problems

Solution Overview

Product Capabilities

Mainframe Data Access Modernization

Copyright © 2019 HCL Technologies Limited | www.hcltech.com3

THE PROBLEM/CHALLENGE

80% of the world’s corporate data still resides on mainframe systems today (H. Tessler, Enterprise Systems Media).

Significant % of mainframe workloads are written in COBOL, PL/I or Assembler language – data layout defined in those languages.

Monolithic system with decades of incremental enhancements.

Highly risk averse due to mainframe workloads typically represent the most important enterprise systems (e.g. core banking systems) and cost sensitive.

Skills shortage with new generation IT professionals gravitated towards new technology (e.g. REST APIs and Java).

Difficult to discover and integrate existing mainframe assets with the rest of enterprise systems.

➢

➢

➢

➢

➢

➢

Copyright © 2019 HCL Technologies Limited | www.hcltech.com4

OVERVIEW

• HCL Z Data Tools (ZDT) is a set of tools that help you to manipulate data stored on z/OS systems interactively and in batchprocessing.

• Designed to deal with large production data efficiently while protecting integrity and privacy.

• Access to z/OS data made simple by its intuitive and consistent user interface across a wide range of data stores available onthe platform.

• Access to data across multiple z/OS systems / LPARs made simple by its remote systems support.

• A must have tool for every z/OS user including system programmers, application developers, ISPF users and much more.

• Comprehensive support for a wide range of data store types:

– Data Sets (VSAM, QSAM, PDS, PDSE, AIM, OAM)

– DB2

– IMS

– WebSphere MQ

– CICS

– Hierarchical File System under UNIX System Services

Copyright © 2019 HCL Technologies Limited | www.hcltech.com5

ADVANTAGES

ZDT can provide a generic data access solution without programming

• A wide range of file types are supported out of box – no programming required.

• ZDT enables manipulation of data interactively or in batch.

• Access data as RESTful APIs in conjunction with IBM® z/OS® Connect Enterprise Edition.

ZDT templates describe logical layout of data and allows transformation without programming

• Templates are created from COBOL, PL/I and Assembler COPYBOOKs or describe layouts in XML format.

• Describe most complex layout and data structures using the template’s criteria infrastructures. For example, segmented records, nested REDEFINEs and PL/I arrays.

• Change column orders and hide columns based on your requirements.

• Specify criteria to select a subset of data you are interested to work with.

ZDT saves cost by powerful set of tools

• Template repository contains a list of mapping between data source and matching template to use.

• This enables new users to start working with your mainframe data quicker.

• Once the repository is setup by expert, ZDT leverages the information during its operation to simplifies tasks for end users all around.

ZDT template repository for retaining mainframe knowledge for the future

• ZDT provides a powerful set of batch functions such as copy, compare, edit, export, load, print and much more.

• ZDT’s remote systems support enables access to data on remote systems as well while hiding much of mainframe specific complexity.

• Replace in-house apps with powerful ZDT functions for improved efficiency & ease of maintenance.

ISPF user friendly productivity improvement features

• Specify a group of resources to work with on a local system as well as remote systems.

• Search text and change across the specified group of resources with powerful navigation panel display.

• Clone the specified group of resources to create backup.

• Edit JCL with ease.

Copyright © 2019 HCL Technologies Limited | www.hcltech.com6

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Z Data Tools

Engine

Interactive processing

Batch processing

Data Sets

DB2

IMS

MQ

CICS(files, TDQ, TSQ)

HFS files

Data to be processed

Templates

COPYBOOKs

XML

specification

Interactive

specification

Logical Layout of Data

{REST}

Integration with IBM®z/OS® Connect EE

Mapping Info

Template Repository

Copyright © 2019 HCL Technologies Limited | www.hcltech.com7

MAINFRAME DATA ACCESS MODERNIZATION CHALLENGES

Java™ on Mainframe

On z/OS® since 2000.

IBM® z14 announcement: performance improvement by exploiting new hardware.

CICS® TS V5.4 announcement: Support for applications written to the Java™ EE 7 full platform specification.

IMS™ 15 announcement: More expansive and dynamic Java development experience.

Challenges

Most data stored on the platform are defined by COBOL, PL/I and Assembler programs.

Mainframe data structures typically do NOT map directly to Java and other modern languages.

Steep learning curve for non-mainframe developers to understand the structure and manipulate mainframe data.

New languages on the platform.

Copyright © 2019 HCL Technologies Limited | www.hcltech.com8

INTRODUCING HCL Z DATA TOOLS APIS

HCL Z Data Tools APIs (ZDT APIs) is an add-on product which provides Java™ and Swift application programming interfaces (APIs) to manipulate mainframe data.

APIs leverages ZDT’s template infrastructure to understand logical layout of mainframe binary data .

Mainframe binary data is converted into JSON format and returned to API consumers in Java or Swift for easier interpretation and manipulation for developers with no mainframe background.

Usage scenario includes but not limited to:

▪ Replacement of legacy applications for batch processing of data in Java.

▪ Integration of traditional mainframe apps with new apps.

▪ Interpretation of mainframe operational data for analytics (eg. SMF data).

▪ Manipulation of mainframe data in virtual storage.

00101101 11001010

11000000 11000000

11110000 01010101

00000000 11010010

00110011 11001111

00101101 11001010

11000000 11000000

11110000 01010101

00000000 11010010

00110011 11001111

00101101 11001010

11000000 11000000

11110000 01010101

00000000 11010010

00110011 11001111

Applications

Mainframe Data

ZDT APIs

(1) Data read request

(2) Binary data returned

(3) JSON formatted data is returned

Copyright © 2019 HCL Technologies Limited | www.hcltech.com9

SUMMARY

1

2

3

4

Powerful set of tools to manipulate mainframe data interactively and in batch

Powerful framework to represent logical layout of mainframe data (templates)

Knowledge retention of your mainframe data through usage of ZDT template repository – all ZDTfunction leverages the repository to simplify usage event for new users

Productivity improvement features for ISPF users

Mainframe data access modernization using ZDT APIs in Java™ and Swift languages – simplifiesapplication development especially for developers with limited mainframe experiences

Continued enhancement to meet mainframe data manipulation requirements today and future

5

6

$8.2 BILLION ENTERPRISE | 127,000 IDEAPRENEURS | 43 COUNTRIES